A Christmas Wish
by Butterfly Betty
Summary: A ballerina figurine and a pair of sad brown eyes change Christmas for Edward in ways he never imagined.
1. Chapter 1

**Merry Christmas from me to you! This is something new that I am still writing, but I want to share it with you as I go. Chapters will be short, and there might be tears. I will be doing my best to update multiple time a day. **

—ACW—

Edward looked at his watch as he rushed into Masen's Department Store, and headed straight for the customer service desk to begin his shift. His sister Esme was already elbows deep in wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows, and there was already a line out the door of people who were waiting to get their gifts wrapped.

"You're late," Esme chided, glaring at him as he tossed his coat onto the back of one the chairs.

"I know. In case you haven't noticed, traffic is a bit insane." Edward cleared his work space and motioned for the next person in line. "What can I do for you?"

The bleached-blond woman, who was clearly in her early forties and wearing clothes made for women in their twenties, pushed her boobs out as she stepped forward and placed the three bras and matching thongs on the counter, none of which were her size.

"I'd like these wrapped, please," she cooed, batting her lashes at Edward. He ignored her, as he did every time a woman hit on him. In the two weeks that he'd been helping in the wrapping department, he'd had his fair share of cougars trying to seduce him, but Edward simply smiled, wrapped their underwear, and sent them on their way.

"One box?" he asked, reaching under grabbing a stack of standard, white boxes.

"Two," the woman cooed, sounding more like a mooing cow than a woman trying to sound seductive.

Edward nodded. "It's ten dollars for each box, another five a piece if you want ribbons and bows."

"Oh, honey," she said, reaching across the counter and placing her meaty hand on top of Edward's, "I want it all."

He paused for a moment before nearly throwing her hand off of him. "Okay."

Ten minutes, and a horrible wrapping job later, Edward slide the two packages across the counter and accepted the thirty dollars from the woman, who once again tried touch his hand, and thanked her for choosing Masen's Department Store. The woman, who was clearly disappointed that she lacked the ability to seduce the young man, stalked off with her packages tucked under her arms.

"Surprised she didn't climb over the counter and pin you to the floor," Esme snickered. "She wanted you bad, little brother."

"Ew," he grimaced, shuddering before motioning for the next person in line.


	2. Chapter 2

—ACW—

For the rest of the afternoon, Edward fought off the advances of the young and old, the desperate and the overzealous. He knew the only reason most of the women hit on him was because his last name was Masen. He wasn't that good looking, or smart, or desirable. No, they wanted him for his money. The Masen family were considered royalty in the city of Forks, Washington, and he was single.

But Edward was particular about the type of woman he dated. He didn't want someone who only wanted to be candy on his arm. He wanted someone who would make him dance in the rain, who insisted on watching scary movies even though they terrified her. He wanted perfection — not physically, but emotionally.

As the last person left the office, Esme fell back in her chair and huffed. "Damn, today's been a long day. Why do people wait until the day before Christmas to wrap all their packages?"

"I don't know," Edward said as he walked around the desk and over to the door to post the closed sign and lock up. However, just as he was about to shut the door, a tiny hand shot out, stopping him. "What the . . ."

He trailed off as he pulled the door back and saw a little boy who couldn't have been more than six years old standing there. With one hand stretched out to keep the door from closing, his other hand was clutching a small glass figurine to his chest. The small boy had dark brown hair and when he tilted his head up, Edward found himself lost in a pair of large, brown eyes.

"Am I too late?" the boy asked, the eagerness in his voice didn't go unnoticed. "Are you closed?"

"We were just closing up," Edward said. "Where are your parents?"

"Oh, um, they're waiting for me at the front of the store," the boy lied. It was clear to both Edward and Esme that the boy was lying. "I was hoping to get this wrapped."

The boy held the glass figurine out to Edward, who immediately took it. A ballerina pressed onto the tips of her toes with her arms wrapped around her torso and a red rose clutched against her chest. Her head was tilted upward and her eyes were closed. Edward recognized it as one of the pieces they sold, and knew it had cost the young boy quite a lot.

"Will you wrap it for me, sir?" the boy asked, drawing Edward's attention back to him. "I don't have any money, but I can work it off. I can take out the trash, or something. Please?"

Though Edward knew he shouldn't, he couldn't stop himself from saying, "Yeah, sure," and stepping out of the way and allowing the boy into the office.

**Thank you! See you next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

—ACW—

While Edward took great care in wrapping the package, using more tissue paper than was needed to keep the figurine from accidently breaking, the little boy stood next to the door, shifting nervously from one foot to the other. There was something about the little boy that had Edward curious. He wasn't old enough to be out on his own, yet here he was, having just dropped some serious cash on a gift for someone. Most kids would have spent their money on toys or video games, so what made this little boy different.

"Do you know how to write?" Edward asked, shifting his eyes to the little boy as he pulled out some gold ribbons.

"Yes, sir," the boy replied, and Edward noticed that his eyes filled with tears as he said, "My momma taught me."

Nodding, Edward placed the ribbon on the counter and grabbed a gift tag from one of the drawers, placing it opposite of him with a pen. "Why don't you put who the gift is to and your name, and then I will attach it to the package. If you need help, my sister will help, right, Esme?"

Edward and the little boy looked over at Esme, whose eyes widened as she nodded and stood up. She walked around the counter and stood next to the little boy, who could barely peek over the top. Edward cleared his throat and tilted his head toward one of the chairs.

"Oh, yeah," Esme murmured, dragging it over and helping the boy stand on it. The boy bit his lip as he picked up the pen and began to slowly write on the tag. "What's your name?"

The boy paused and looked at her. "Not supposed to give my name to strangers."

"Well, I bet you're not supposed to be here alone, either, but you here you are."

A frown tugged at the corner of the boy's lips. "That's true, I guess."

"So what's your name?" Esme asked again.

"Charlie," he whispered. "Charlie Swan."

**Thank you! More tomorrow!**


	4. Chapter 4

—ACW—

"It's nice to meet you, Charlie," Esme said with a smile. "My name is Esme, and this is my brother Edward."

"You, too," he replied, returning her grin. He pushed the card toward her. "Did I spell Momma right?"

"Hmm," Esme hummed, picking it up. "M.O.M.M.A. You sure did. Are you giving this to your momma?"

Charlie nodded. "She used to dance."

"She doesn't anymore?" Edward asked, and once again, the little boy frowned and he could have sworn he saw tears in his eyes.

"No," was all he said. Then, biting his lip again, he started writing out his own name in his messy child-like handwriting.

Edward and Esme shared a look, knowing there was a lot about the young Charlie Swan they didn't know anything about. Once Edward was done wrapping the ribbon around the box, making sure everything was perfect, he took the gift tag from Charlie and attached it to the edge of the ribbon so that it hung perfectly.

"Well, here you go," Edward said, pushing the package toward Charlie. "Does it look okay?"

Charlie smiled. "It's prefect." Charlie looked up at Edward. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Edward told him. "You should get going. Don't want your momma to worry about you."

"I have to work off my debt," he argued, and Edward wondered how a boy who couldn't be more than six years old even knew the word debt.

"No, you don't. This is my gift to you, Charlie," he told the young boy.

"But Momma said that nothing in this life is free and that I have to work hard," he disagreed.

"That's true, but sometimes, it's okay to accept a gift from someone. After all, you're giving this to your mom, right?"

Charlie's forehead furrowed as he thought about what Edward was saying, and then he nodded. "Suppose you're right." He picked up the gift and then jumped from the chair, landing unsteadily on the floor. He looked back at Edward. "Thank you, sir, and Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you, too, Charlie." And as Edward and Esme stood there and watched Charlie walk out of the office, through the store, and out the front doors, he found himself hoping that Charlie's Christmas would truly be wonderful.


	5. Chapter 5

—ACW—

Edward and Esme locked up the store and headed to their father's house, knowing they were expected for dinner and no excuse would be accepted. Though, neither of them spoke of young Charlie, Edward knew his sister was thinking about him, too. He wasn't like most children who came into the store with their parents, whining and complaining about wanting a new toy. No, Charlie was different, and Edward suspected that his story wasn't a happy one.

Edward pulled his car up in front of the grotesquely large house that belonged to Edward Masen Sr. and turned off the car. As the two of them made their way inside, Edward was unsurprised to find his father already sitting at the dining room table with their mother Elizabeth, and two empty seats that belonged to him and Esme. They shared another look before they quietly took their seats and offered no explanation. His father wouldn't care why they were late, only that they were, and the last thing he wanted was to fight with the old man. They fought enough as it was.

"Well, now that you're both here, we can eat," Ed Sr. stated, picking up a silver bell and ringing it.

A moment later two women came barreling into the dining room with a tray filled to the brim with food. Tanya Denali and her sister Irina had worked for the Masen family for as long as Edward could remember, first as his and Esme's nannies, and now as part of the kitchen staff. Both women, who made their distaste for Edward and Esme clear, glared at them for making dinner late. Edward almost laughed. The only reason Ed kept the women on staff was because he was fucking them. Yeah, Ed liked to keep his mistresses under lock and key, easier to manipulate.

Elizabeth picked up her glass of wine and drained it, before motioning for Tanya to refill it, and Edward wondered how many glasses of wine his mother had already had today. After all, Elizabeth was a drunk, but wouldn't you be one, too, if your husband dangled his lovers in front of you all the time?

"You're dismissed," Elizabeth slurred, waving the woman off once she had her refilled.

"Yes, ma'am," Tanya sneered, and she and Irina stalked into the kitchen, leaving the four of them alone.

As they filled their plates, Ed cleared his throat and turned his attention to Esme. "I received a phone call from Robert Platt today."

Esme groaned.

"His son will be in town next week, and I think it's a good idea for you to meet him," Ed continued, ignoring the disgust on his daughter's face.

"I don't think so," Esme scoffed.

"And just why not?"

Esme rolled her eyes. "Because I've already met him and he's an asshole. I don't need you to find me a husband, Dad."

Faster than possible, Ed was out of his seat and had Esme by one arm, dragging her out of her chair. The sound of his hand colliding with the side of Esme's face echoed through the room.

Thank you!


	6. Chapter 6

—ACW—

Elizabeth didn't flinch as her husband struck their daughter, but Edward scrambled to his feet, only stopping when Ed turned his glare onto him.

"Sit down, boy; this has nothing to do with you," the old man snarled.

"The moment you touched her it became about me," Edward argued. "Let her go."

Ed released Esme who scrambled back against, clutching at the red-hot mark on her face. It wasn't the first time their father had struck her, but it would be the last. Edward didn't care how powerful his father was, he was done being polite.

"Boy, sit your ass down," Ed ordered, but once again, Edward ignored him as he walked around the table, gathered his sister in his arms, and shuffled her toward the door. "Dinner isn't over!"

"It is now," Edward snarled, pausing and looking back at him. "She's not one of your whores that you can order around. She's your daughter, for fuck sake! You both can go to hell."

While Ed look furious, Elizabeth picked up her glass and held it out toward them, laughing hysterically. "Oh, darling boy, we're already in hell."

Edward wasn't sure what to say, so he instead he ushered Esme out of the house and back out to his car, knowing that his father would be furious with them both for leaving. Esme curled up in the passenger seat and wept softly while Edward drove away from the house. Knowing he didn't have any food in his apartment, he stopped outside a small twenty-four hour market and turned to Esme.

"Want anything specific? Chocolate? Ice cream? Cookie dough?" he asked.

Esme smiled weakly. "Comfort foods, Edward? Not like I just broke up with some guy."

"No, but would it make you feel better?" he asked.

Sighing, she shook her head. "Not really."

"Okay, well, I'm gonna need food, so do you want to come in with me?"

"No, thanks," she replied.

Though Edward wasn't sure if he should leave her alone, he knew not to push. Esme was the strongest woman he'd ever known, but at the same time, she was fragile and sensitive. Ed hadn't wanted a daughter, and never hid the fact that Esme's birth had been a disappointment to him. This wasn't the first time he'd attempted to find her a husband, either. Ed simply wanted to wash his hands of his daughter.

Thanks! See ya tomorrow!


	7. Chapter 7

—ACW—

As Edward grabbed a basket and made his way through the aisles, he added a bag of chips, cookies, some frosting, a two liter of regular soda, none of that diet crap, and a large tub of cookie dough. He'd just turned toward the front check-out when he saw Charlie standing in front of the checker with a small bottle of chocolate milk, and a package of sugar donuts.

"Sorry, kid, you're a buck fifty short," the guy behind the counter said. "You'll have to put one of them up."

"Um, I guess I don't need the milk," Charlie said, though Edward could hear the disappointment in his words. "I'll take just the donuts."

"Okay," the guy said and turned back toward his register.

"Wait," Edward heard himself saying, and when Charlie and the man looked at him, he quickly walked over to them. "I'll buy them both for him."

"No, sir, you don't need to do that," Charlie was quick to say.

"I know, but I want to," he said. "Do you remember me from the store today?"

Charlie smiled. "Yes, sir."

"Then you know that I'm going to insist, don't you?"

Charlie laughed. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Edward placed his groceries on the counter. "Want anything else?"

Charlie shook his head, though Edward noticed the way he kept eyeing a box of chocolate candy bars. Laughing under his breath, Edward reached over and picked up a handful, adding them to his groceries. When Charlie looked up at him, he said, "My sister loves chocolate."

"I've never had one," he admitted, and both Edward and the clerk gasped.

"Never?" Edward asked.

Charlie shook his head.

Edward reached over and picked up one of the bars, handing it to him. "Here."

"What about your sister?" Charlie asked, taking the bar.

"She'll have plenty," Edward scoffed.

Once the clerk had rang up all his groceries, and the milk and bread for Charlie, Edward swiped his debt card and paid for the food. Thanking the clerk, Edward handed Charlie his bag and picked up his and followed him out of the store.

"Do you need a ride home?" Edward asked, looking around and not seeing anyone waiting for Charlie, which begged the question: why was he out by himself this late?

"I don't live too far. I'll be okay," Charlie said, shifting his eyes up to Edward. "Thank you, Edward."

"You're welcome," he said, and while Charlie turned and started walking down the block, he rushed back to his car, almost tossing his groceries into the backseat and startling Esme. "Sorry."

"Was that Charlie?" she asked, turning in her seat and looking back at him.

"Yeah. I'm gonna follow him home, make sure he actually gets there. It's clear his mother doesn't care where he is."

Esme hummed, but didn't say anything as Edward reversed out of his parking space and started following Charlie, expecting him to leave them to a house or even an apartment building. However, Charlie didn't go to either. No, Charlie walked through the front doors of the hospital.

**Merry Christmas! **


	8. Chapter 8

—ACW—

Neither Esme nor Edward said anything as they parked in the visitation lot and followed Charlie inside, their mutual curiosity getting the better of them. Why was Charlie at the hospital? Why was he constantly wandering around town by himself? He was a little boy. He could have gotten hurt, or kidnapped, or . . . Edward shuddered just thinking about what could have happened to that little boy.

Charlie unknowingly led them down one hallway after another, taking left turns and then rights, until he came to a stop outside of a room on the far side of the hospital. Before he could open the door, however, a man and a woman came barreling through a set of doors at the other end of the hallway, and when they saw Charlie, their eyes widen, and Edward could have sworn that the woman began to cry.

"Charlie, where the hell have you been?" the man asked, wrapping his arm around the woman as they rushed down to him. He knelt in front of Charlie, placing one hand on the boy's shoulder. "Your momma has been worried about you."

"I got hungry," the boy said, gesturing to the milk and donuts Edward had bought him.

"Where'd you get the money for these?" The woman asked, squatting next to the man.

Charlie bit his lip as he shrugged his shoulder.

"Where did you get the money, Charlie?" the woman asked again, this time a little more forcefully.

"I paid for it," Edward said, drawing all their attention to him. Charlie's face fell, and Edward couldn't understand why. "Sorry, he didn't have enough, so I . . . I paid for it."

"Oh, well, that was kind of you," the woman said, standing up. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a five dollar bill. "This should cover it."

"That's not necessary," Edward insisted. "My name is—"

"We know who you are," the man said. "You think we live in Forks and don't know who Edward and Esme Masen are? It's not that big of town. Now, I don't want to be rude, but —"

Before he could finish, the door to the room next to Charlie opened, and everyone turned their attention inside. Standing in the doorway was another man, this one larger than the other, but it was the woman lying in the bed inside the room that had everyone's attention. She was tiny and frail looking. It was clear by the scarf tied onto her head that she'd lost all her hair, leading Edward to assume that she had cancer. She was pale, and there were bruises on her arms.

The woman lobbed her head to the side, looking past the man in the doorway. Lifting her hands, she smiled and gestured for Charlie to go to her, which he did. "Hey, you."

"Hey, Momma."


	9. Chapter 9

—ACW—

"Where have you been, baby? I was worried," Charlie's mother said, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, Momma, but I got hungry, and the cafeteria was closed, so I walked to the store and got some milk and donuts."

"Charlie, you know you're not supposed to leave the hallway without one of us," the big man at the door said.

"Yeah, I know." Charlie turned and pointed at Edward. "But I wasn't alone. My friends were with me."

"Your friends, huh?" his mother asked, shifting her eyes to Edward and Esme. "Please, introduce me to your friends, baby."

Charlie's smile grew as he gestured for Edward and Esme to come into the room, and even though the two men and the woman were boring holes into the back of their heads, they did as Charlie wanted.

"Momma, this is Edward and Esme. They're brother and sister." He turned to them. "This is my momma. Her name is Rosalie, but she likes to be called Rose and gets really mad when you call her Rosalie, so don't do that."

"Okay, we won't," Edward said, shifting his eyes from Charlie to Rose. "It's nice to meet you."

"You mean it's nice to see me again, don't you, Edward?" Rose asked, her lips tugging into a smile. "Been a while, but surely, you didn't forget me."

"I'm sorry?" he asked, confused. "Have we met before?"

"Guess I do look a lot different than I did in high school," she laughed, then winced. "Damn it, that hurt." The man who was at the door rushed over and picked up cord with a red button at the end, but before he could push it, Rose said, "No, I'm okay."

"You're in pain, Rose," he murmured.

Though she simply shook her head and looked back at Edward. "Still don't know me? Guess I'm not surprised. You and I didn't exactly hang out in the same social circles."

"Because he was a snob." Edward looked behind him at the man from the hallway. He cocked a blue eye at him, almost daring him to rebut what he'd just said. "What? You were."

"Never said I wasn't," he said, turning back to Rose. "We went to high school together?"

Rose nodded. "You were the love of my life."

**Hehe, weren't expecting Rose, were you?**


	10. Chapter 10

—ACW—

"Were being the key word, asshole," the big guy said before Edward could respond.

"Emmett." Rose reached over and placed a frail hand on Emmett's arm, drawing his attention to her. Before she could say anything else, the door to the room opened and everyone looked back as yet another woman, this one with long, silky brown hair and brown eyes came into the room.

"Bella!" Charlie cheered, rushing over to the woman and leaping into her arms.

"Hey, little man," she laughed. "You miss me?"

Charlie nodded and laid his head on the woman's shoulder. Bella shifted her eyes from Rose to Edward, and smiled. "Hi."

"Hey." He felt like an idiot for not saying anything more meaningful, but this entire situation was overwhelming.

Bella looked over at Rose as she walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "You look better."

"No, I don't," Rose scoffed, placing her hand on Charlie's back. "He's been wandering again. Brought in a couple strays."

"So I see," Bella said, looking back at Edward and Esme. "Where'd he find you?"

"The market down the block," Edward told her.

Bella sighed, and leaned her cheek on the top of Charlie's head. "Dude, you know better."

"I was hungry," he grumbled, muffling his words by burying his face on her neck.

"Yeah, I know."

"I'm tired," Charlie grumbled, and Edward watched as he brought his hand up between their bodies, sliding his tongue into his mouth. He expected Bella or Rose to tell him to stop, tell them that he was too big to be sucking his thumb. Ed Sr. would have ripped it out, calling the boy weak and pathetic for needing to comfort himself. But these people were clearly nothing like his father.

"Come here, baby." Rose lifted a thin arm, reaching for her son.

Bella helped him lay next to his mother and then stood up. "We'll be out in the hall, okay?"

Rose nodded before she draped her arm around the small boy. As Edward and Esme followed Emmett, Bella, and the to others out of the room, he heard Rose begin to sing, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine," and he wondered if his mother had ever sang to him like that when he was little boy.

**Thank you for all the amazing reviews! This is a Bella/ Edward story, so keep that in mind.**


	11. Chapter 11

—ACW—

The moment the door to Rose's room was shut, Bella placed one hand on the wall and brought her other hand up to her mouth, stifling her sobbing as softly as she could. Emmett wrapped his arm around her, nestling her against his chest, and Edward felt the urge to take the woman into his own warm embrace.

"Bella." At the sound of a deep, masculine voice, everyone looked past Edward and Esme, who had turned, and watched as a doctor came shuffling down the hallway. "Is she okay?"

"No," Bella wept. "She's getting weaker. I don't know how much longer she can hang on, Carlisle."

"We knew this day was coming," he told her, shaking his head. The man she called Carlisle shifted his attention to Edward and then to Esme. "Who are you?"

"Edward and Esme Masen. They're the strays Charlie found," Emmett said before either of them could respond. "He's been wandering again."

Carlisle sighed. "That boy never stays put."

"He's scared," Bella countered. "You know how much he loves her."

"I do." Carlisle dragged a hand over his face and through his hair. "I need coffee. Can I get anyone else some?"

With a nod from everyone but Edward and Bella, Carlisle led everyone else down to the break room, telling them he'd need help. Bella motioned for Edward to follow her over to a row of seats and sat down, crossing her legs at her knees and angling her body toward him.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"When I saw that Charlie was alone at the store, I was worried. I mean, we—my sister and I—were worried," Edward explained.

"Do you make it a habit to follow children around town?" she asked.

"No," he exclaimed. "I just . . . Well, to be honest, I wondered why he was out by himself."

"He's not afraid of anything," Bella murmured. "Except losing her. Losing her scares the shit of him. Out of all of us."

"She has cancer?" Edward asked.

Bella nodded. "By the time she found the lump in her breast is had already spread to her lungs and lymph nodes. They removed both breasts, and she began treatment, but it's stopped working."

"So what now?"

Bella frowned. "She dies."

**Did you need tissues?**


	12. Chapter 12

—ACW—

The words hit Edward harder than he expected. Rose was dying. Charlie's mother was dying. He blew out a heavy breath, trying to understand, but failing miserably.

"She's fought hard, Edward. She's been fighting for three years, but she's tired."

"But what about Charlie?" he groused. "He needs his mother."

"He does, and I will do everything I can to make sure he knows how much my sister loves him."

"Your sister?" Edward asked.

"I guess you don't remember us?" When he shook his head, Bella laughed. "Not surprised, I guess."

"You make me sound like an asshole," he grumbled.

"You kind of were," she admitted, and when he frowned, she added, "Don't take that as a bad thing, Edward."

"How can I not?" he scoffed. "You tell me I'm an asshole. She told me I was the love of her life."

"She said that?" Bella laughed, shaking her head. "Oh, Edward, you were not the love of her life. I doubt you were more than a two day crush."

"Oh." For reasons that Edward couldn't explain, a feeling of sorrow filled him.

"I crushed you, didn't I?" Bella fretted.

"No," he lied.

"I didn't mean to, Edward. Rose and I only lived here for about six months."

"Why'd you move?"

Bella tensed. "Guess you don't remember."

"Should I?" he asked.

"Suppose it's not the kind of thing your father would brag about."

"My father?"

Bella nodded. "Ten years ago, my father worked as personal security for your father. One night, just before Christmas, a night much like tonight actually, my father was gunned down by the husband of one of your father's mistresses. He died in route to this hospital."

"Oh, wow, I . . . I had no idea," Edward mumbled, feeling like an idiot.

"Doesn't surprise me. Your father covered it up, said he'd walked in in the middle of a robbery," Bella continued to explain. "Rose and I went to live with our mother in Florida, but as soon as we graduated from high school, we came back to the area. Went to college, started our careers. Well, we tried to, anyway. Charlie was born six years ago, and then Rose got sick." Bella paused and wiped the tears off her cheeks. "She used to dance. Ballet. She was beautiful on the stage. So much grace. I trip on flat surfaces, but not my Rosie. She's . . ."

"You're close?" Edward asked.

"She's my best friend, Edward, and she's leaving me," Bella wept. "How am I supposed to raise Charlie when everything about him reminds me of my sister?"

As the others returned with coffee for everyone, Edward could only sit there and try to find a reason that made sense, but at that moment, he didn't have one. Charlie was losing his mother, and Edward couldn't do anything to help.

**Thank you for all the reviews and support.**


	13. Chapter 13

—ACW—

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Bella stood up and walked back into Rose's room, closing the door behind her. Edward felt uncomfortable being there, seeing as he really wasn't family, but at the same time, he couldn't leave, not when Charlie was going to need people who cared about him. And Edward did care. For reasons that he couldn't explain, he did care.

"Who smacked you around?" Edward's attention was pulled to the woman sitting next to Esme. Short with black hair and an annoying smile, the woman brought her hand up and ran her fingers across the dull bruise on Esme's cheek.

"Nobody," Esme lied, pulling away from her.

"Yeah, I've heard all about nobody. They like to assault you, but never take responsibility for their actions," the woman scoffed.

"Alice, mind your business," the man sitting next to her scolded. Unlike Emmett, he had shaggy blond hair that needed a good washing. He was wearing a pair of jeans with rips in the knees and white T-shirt with grease marks. Catching Edward looking at him, he leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. "Problem, pretty boy?"

"Nope," Edward he said. "Do you?"

"What if I do? What if I don't like you coming in here and acting like you're all better than everyone?"

Edward shook his head. "I'm not acting any such way."

"Aren't you?" he asked, leaning back. "Buying Charlie milk and donuts, following him to keep him safe. That little boy has enough to deal with without adding your guilt, too."

"I don't know what I ever did to you, but you don't know a damn thing about me!" Edward explained.

"You're a Masen; that's all that matters," he snarled.

"Jasper!" Turning to the doorway of Rose's hospital room, Edward saw Bella standing there with a shocked look on her face. "That's not fair. Edward had nothing to do with what happened to Dad."

"Whatever you say, Bella," Jasper said.

Sighing, Bella looked over at Edward, a strange expression on her face. "She wants to see you."

"Why?" he blurted out and stood up.

"Charlie," was her simple response as she took a step backward and held the door open.

Taking a deep breath, Edward found himself walking into the dimly lit room, unsure why Rose wanted to talk to him. After all, he wasn't anyone important to her.

**Thank you!**


	14. Chapter 14

—ACW—

Charlie was still wrapped around his mother when Edward walked into the room. Rose had her hand on the back of his head, her fingers raking through his dark brown hair. She smiled as he came closer to her bed, stopping at the end.

"Time is passing too fast, and I find myself wishing that it would slow down." She spoke quietly as not to wake the boy, yet Edward heard every word she said. "When I found out I was pregnant, I was terrified. Barely eighteen and alone. I wasn't ready to be a mother, but the moment he came screaming into the world, I knew I would do everything I could be the mother he deserved."

"Where's his father?" Edward asked.

"His father wasn't interested in being a part of his life, and left town as fast as he could. I was devastated, sure that he was the love of my life, but guess you can tell that I tend to fall in love easily," she laughed, softly.

But couldn't laugh. Rose was dying, leaving her son without a mother, and in this moment, nothing was funny.

"Oh, Edward, you poor man," she tittered. "I think you're taking my impending death harder than I am."

"How can you be so glib about this?" he asked. "Your son is wrapped around your body, holding on as tight as he can, and you're making jokes."

Rose sighed. "When I first got sick, I believed that I was strong enough to overcome it all. I had my breasts hacked off, went through chemo and radiation, only for the cancer to spread faster and deeper. It's in my bones, in my blood, everywhere. There is nothing I want more than to watch my baby grow up, to graduate high school, or fall in love, get married, have grandbabies. I want to grow up and get fat. I want my hair to turn gray and . . ." Pausing, she brought her free hand up to her mouth, sobbing softly. "I'm not ready to die, Edward, but I'm going to, and I need your help."

"My help?" he asked. "What can I do?"

Rose's lips trembled, and tears sprinkled down her cheeks. "You can raise my son like he's yours."

**See you next time!**


	15. Chapter 15

—ACW—

Once again, Edward found himself stunned into silence. Rose was asking him to raise her son? Blowing out a heavy breath, he brought his hand up to the back of his neck, trying to rub out the tension that had been building in his shoulders.

"Weren't expecting that, were you?" she asked.

"No, can't say I was," he admitted.

"Charlie's never been far from me, or from Bella. Our mother was too busy with her new husband to care that I was a young mother, who needed help. Bella and Jasper, our older brother, did what they could. Babysat when I had rehearsals for a performance. I used to dance."

"I know," Edward said, and when Rose cocked an eyebrow, he added, "Charlie mentioned it."

Rose nodded. "When he asked you to wrap my gift?" she asked, tilting her head to the table next to her bed where the tiny ballerina figurine sat. "He told me everything after all of you left us alone. Said . . ." Once more, Edward saw tears fill her eyes as she paused to collect her emotions. "He said he missed watching me dance."

"I'm sure you were a beautiful dancer."

"I was." Rose smiled. "When I was on stage, I . . . I felt free. Like I could do anything. My body just knew what to do, how to mold myself against my partner. Of course, when Emmett's your partner, that's easy."

"The big guy is a dancer?" Edward asked.

Rose giggled softly. "Yes, and he's amazing."

"You love him." It wasn't a question, more of a statement, but Rose nodded anyway. "So why not ask him to raise your son?"

"He'll be there, when he can, but the life of a dancer is spent on the road. Moving from one show to another. Charlie's going to need more stability than that now that he's in school. He would do it, though. If I asked, Emmett would retire and take my son in, raise him as his own."

"So why ask me?"

Rose closed her eyes for a moment, a grimace of pain creeping over her features, but before Edward could grab her pain button, her hand shot out and wrapped around his wrist, drawing his attention back up to her face.

"Because you'll never let him forget who I am."

And before Edward could respond, Rose lurched off the bed and an ear-shattering scream filled the air. Just as suddenly, she fell back against the bed, convulsing in a fit of violence.

**I know! I can't believe I left it there, either!**


	16. Chapter 16

—ACW—

Edward scooped Charlie out of his mother's arm and scrambled away from the bed as the door to her room was thrown open and Carlisle rushed in with a team of nurses and doctors behind him. Bella was standing in the doorway, a look of horror on her face as she watched her sister thrashing around.

"Get him out of here," Carlisle snapped, drawing Edward's attention back to him. "Charlie doesn't need to see her like this."

It was then that Edward realized in his haste to remove the boy from danger, he'd woken up. All Edward could do was nod as he scrambled out of the room. Bella reached for the boy, but Charlie screamed, "NO!" and wrapped his arms around Edward's neck.

"I've got him," Edward whimpered, shocked by the emotions that laced his words.

Bella stared at him for a moment before saying, "Okay."

As they settled in their seats, Edward couldn't help but observe the family sitting around him. Where Bella had sat in the seat next to him, Emmett was standing next to the door to Rose's room, one hand planted on the wall, and the other on his hip. Occasionally, he'd look over at Edward and Charlie, his eyes flittering from one to other, hatred for him and love for the small boy, and while Edward didn't understand why Emmett held him in such contempt, it was clear that the man loved Charlie, and even more, he was in love with Rose. And now, the love of his life was dying.

Jasper was holding Alice on his lap, but he suspected the woman was really keeping Jasper from falling apart. He could only imagine how helpless the man had to feel as he watched his younger sister dying, knowing there was nothing left for him to do. Which drew Edward's attention to his own sister. Esme was curled up in her chair, her knees pulled up to her chest, with one arm tucked between her body, and one elbow resting on her knee, the top of her forehead laying against the palm of her hand. Silent tears fell down her face, and when she saw him looking, he understood why she was crying. This family, though cracking, was stronger than theirs ever was. They loved each other unconditionally, something Edward and Esme had never had before.

Edward wasn't sure how long they had been waiting when the door to Rose's room opened and they watched at Carlisle walked out with a look of pain and sorrow on his face.

"Carlisle," Bella wept, standing up. Edward could see her legs shaking, and before he could stop himself, he found himself scrambling to his feet and wrapping his free arm around her.

"It won't be long," the doctor murmured, his voice cracking. "Minutes at the most. You should . . . You should say your goodbyes."

**Grab your tissues. It's about to get hard.**


	17. Chapter 17

—ACW—

Edward wasn't sure if he should follow the others into the small room, but at the same time, he couldn't stop himself, either. For reasons that he couldn't explain, he felt the need to be there for Charlie and Bella, for Emmett, Jasper, and Alice. The latter three had made their disgust for the Masen family clear, but Edward and Esme were nothing like their mother and father. And Edward knew based on the tears toying in Esme's eyes that she felt the same need he had.

Charlie scrambled from Edward's arms and nearly jumped onto his mother's bed, wrapping his body around her frail one. He began weeping, sobbing loudly and begging her not to leave him. Edward choked back his own sobs as he stood on the side of Rose's bed and watched as she tried to soothe away his pain.

"Shh, baby," she croaked, her voice weaker than it had been the last time Edward was in the room. Her eyes were red and tired, her lips trembling, and her chest heaving as she struggled to take breath after breath. Carlisle reached for the oxygen mask that was laying on the top of the bed, but Rose shook her head. "Charlie, look at me."

Charlie lifted his head, his eyes glistened with tears that hadn't made their way down his cheeks yet.

"Even though I can't be here, don't forget that I will always be watching over you, okay? You're my sweet boy, and I am so proud to have you as my son. I love you, Charlie. You're the greatest gift I ever received, baby."

"I love you, too, Momma," he cried, laying his head back on her chest.

With tears sprinkling down her face, Rose reached for Emmett, who immediately grabbed her hand. "Remember when we danced in the rain?"

Emmett nodded, dislodging his own round of tears. "That was the night I fell in love with you."

"Me, too," she murmured. "You really are the love of my life, Emmett."

Emmett's lips trembled as he knelt next to her, bringing her hand to his mouth. "I would have married you, you know? If I thought you'd say yes, I would have whisked you away and made you my wife."

"I know," Rose whispered. "Be happy, Em. Fall in love, get married, have babies. Watch over our family and keep them safe."

"I promise," he murmured, the vow laced with emotions that hit Edward like a ton of bricks.

Rose attempted to smile as she looked past Emmett at Jasper and Bella, who had lost their father because of Edward's family, and now, they were losing their sister to cancer.

**Still with me? Oh, and Edward is not Charlie's father. In the chapter couple before this, she says that his father wanted nothing to do with them.**


	18. Chapter 18

—ACW—

Rose reached past Emmett for Jasper, who immediate took her hand. As he knelt next to her bed, Edward saw the hatred and anger leave him, and he finally understood why Jasper was so mad at him. Part of it was his father's role in their father's death, but the other was the fact that he couldn't protect his sister from death.

"You're my hero, Jay. You always have been," Rose murmured. "Let it go."

"Let what go?" he asked, though Edward had a feeling he knew exactly what Rose was asking.

"You're angry at me for not being strong enough. Let it go. Bella's gonna need you, Charlie's gonna need you. Emmett, Alice, and Carlisle are going to need you, and even though you can't see it yet, Esme and Edward are going to need you. You're family, Jay, all of you, and I need to know that you're going to take care of them when I'm gone."

"Rose," he cried, leaning his head against the palm of her hand.

"I love you, Jay. You're the best brother a girl could have," Rose stammered, her breathing becoming even more labored. Carlisle once again reached for the oxygen mask, and she once again shook her head. "Keep them healthy, Carlisle."

"I will," the doctor promised.

Rose released her hold on Jasper's hand and lifted it to Bella, who immediately took hold. Then, she removed her hand from the back of Charlie's head and lifted it to Edward, who also held it. Rose, using what little strength she had left, pulled their hands together, pressing their palms against each other's.

"I've asked a lot from both of you. But I need to know that you'll raise my son together, that you'll make sure he's happy and healthy, that he becomes a good person," she whimpered.

"Rose," Bella wept.

"You'll be a great mom to him, Bells." Rose smiled. "Sing with him every day, and teach him to cook. Make sure he does his homework, and cleans his room. Be his momma for me, sis."

"I'll try," she cried. "I love you, Rosie."

"I love you, too," Rose murmured, tears sliding down her cheeks as she looked at Edward. "Teach him how to be a good man, the kind of man who saw a child in need and helped him. Teach him that you're more than just a Masen."

"But I am a Masen," he whispered, thickly.

"But you're not your father's son," she rebutted. "Love them, Edward. Just love them."

And for reasons that Edward couldn't explain, he found himself saying, "I promise," and meaning it. He would love them, all of them. Somehow, he knew they would be a family.

Rose sighed and nodded, almost as if she could finally relax. As she closed her eyes and her heartbeat began to slow, Charlie brought his hand up to her face and began to sing, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine."

Tears of sadness and heartbreak filled the room as the small boy sang and sang, even after the monitor flat-lined and his mother had passed.

**Little Charlie breaks me! Not sure I will get to update much more until Wednesday as my kids have several appointments.**


	19. Chapter 19

—ACW—

Edward felt weak and emotionally drained. He'd never been in the same room as someone when they died. It was both beautiful and horrifying. He stood next to Rose's bed, listening as Charlie cried himself to sleep on his mother's body, while her brother and sister, and family cried for a woman who meant more to them than she'd ever know. And all he could do was think about how lucky they were to have had someone like Rose in their lives.

After at least half an hour, Bella walked around the bed to where Edward was standing next to Charlie and lifted the small boy off the bed. He whimpered and wrapped his body around hers. Bella motioned for Edward to follow her out into the hall, which he did. The moment the door was closed, Bella shifted her eyes up to his.

"You don't have to be involved, if you don't want to. I know Rose wants . . . wanted you in his life, but we'll understand if you don't want to be."

"I do want to be," he admitted. "I don't know how to raise children, Bella, but I made a promise and I won't break it."

Bella tried to smile, but he knew the pain of losing her sister was too fresh. "I need to get him home and in bed. He's been practically living here for the last couple weeks."

Edward nodded, understanding perfectly.

"Will you come with me?" she asked, catching him by surprise. "We need to talk, and I don't want to do it here, or over the phone."

"Of course. Just let me make sure Esme gets home," Edward mumbled, thinking about how much his life has changed in just a few hours.

Esme assured him that she'd be fine, that she'd catch a cab, but when Carlisle spoke up and said he would drive her home, Edward saw a sparkle in his sister's eyes. Bella and Jasper whispered furiously to one another, the latter clearly trying to tell her she was acting rashly by trusting a Masen. How he hated that his father had put such a stigma on their family name, one he never realize brought so much disgust with it. More than ever, Edward wished he'd been able to free himself and Esme from Ed Sr.'s clutches long ago, and he vowed then and there to never let his father control his life again. It was time for Edward to grow up and become his own man. Charlie needed him more than ever.

**Thank you for all the reviews! Ed Sr. is not Charlie's father. His father isn't important. **


	20. Chapter 20

—ACW—

Edward felt awkward as he stood in the living room of Bella's small, two bedroom apartment and waited while she put Charlie to bed. He could hear her whispering her love to him, crying softly, and praying that God would keep him safe while he slept.

When she came back into the living room, she kicked off her shoes and gestured to the kitchen, asking, "Drink?"

"Some water," he replied.

Bella nodded and a few minutes later, she came back out with two bottles of water, a bag of potato chips, some kind of spinach dip, and a bag of cookies.

"I'm starving. Between work and the hospital, I haven't really been able to eat much lately. I hope you don't mind."

"Where do you work?" Edward asked sitting on the far end of the couch while she settled on the other side.

"Well, officially, I'm a librarian over at the community college, but unofficially, I'm a writer. Or trying to be at least. I'm publishing my first book next month, but I'm behind on my edits, and I don't know how much longer my editor is going to wait."

"Do they know about Rose?" he asked.

"They do, but it's all about the business with them, Edward. All they care about is how much money they are pouring into my book, and how it's not paying off for them at this point. Sometimes, I think it would be better if I just said fuck it all and gave up."

"You don't want to do that," he said.

"Why not?"

Edward frowned. "Because you'd regret it every day."

"Do you?" she asked. "Have regrets, I mean?"

He nodded. "A lot."

"Who would have guess that a Masen would ever regret anything they've done," she tittered.

"You think I didn't already know how horrible my family is, Bella? Trying growing up there. We didn't have parents, we had nannies and housekeepers, ones my father only kept around because he liked to fuck them. My mother's a drunk, and when she isn't drinking, she's off on one of her three month shopping sprees around Europe, which I'm sure is code for whatever dude she's sleeping with at the moment. Esme and I have fought against every expectation lobbed against us. I wanted to be someone other than Edward Masen Sr.'s son. I wanted to be a musician or an artist, or a doctor, but I don't get to be any of those things because the company needs me."

"You can be whoever you want, Edward. Your family doesn't own you," Bella replied. She sighed. "Charlie won't fit into that world, Edward."

"I don't want him to," he said immediately.

"How can you help raise him if you're still in that world?"

And once more, Edward was unable to speak because that was one question he didn't have an answer for.

**See ya next time!**


	21. Chapter 21

—ACW—

Time passed slowly as they sat in silence, the weight of the evening sitting heavily on their shoulders. Bella ate a little, but eventually, she pushed the food away and curled up in a ball, silently letting her tears fall for her departed sister. Edward wanted to hold her, to soothe away the pain, but he couldn't. He didn't know her, not really, and he wasn't sure she even wanted anything to do with him.

"Charlie will be waking up soon," Bella murmured around five in the morning. "He never sleeps in. Never has. Even as a baby, he'd be wide awake at five in the morning. Rose says . . . said that it was his inquisitive nature. So full of questions that he had to start the day off early."

"Why would she ask me to help raise him?" Edward asked.

"Honestly, I don't know," she replied, shifting so that she was facing him. "When we realized that she wasn't going to get better, Rose sat us all down and told us that she'd made some decisions. Of course Charlie has always been her first priority. Our mother hasn't been involved in his life since he was a year old, and Jasper and Alice travel a lot for business. That left me or Emmett. He would have ended his career for her in a heartbeat, but raising Charlie would be hard for him. So Rose asked me to take him, and of course, I said yes. How could I not? That little boy has owned me since he came screaming into the world."

"He seems like a good kid," Edward told her. "He came into our store today and asked us to wrap a present for his mom. He offered to work it off. Not many kids, especially kids his age, would make such an offer."

"Rose always told him that nothing in this world was free, but that if we work hard and treat others with respect, we'd be okay. It wasn't easy for her, you know? Being a single mom, I mean. We were barely eighteen when she got pregnant. Just a few months after we graduated from high school. Her ex, Royce, wasn't a nice guy. She never admitted anything to me, but I suspected he'd hit her a couple times. He drank a lot and was a drug addict. He made her a lot of big promises, but less than a week after she told him she was pregnant, he was gone. We never heard from him again, not that we tried to find him. Charlie's better off without him."

"And what?" Edward asked. "He's better off with me?"

"Rose seemed to think so," Bella said, but before she could say anything else, the door to Charlie's room opened and he came stumbling into the room. Instead of climbing into Bella's lap, Charlie made a beeline for Edward, sitting on his lap and laying his head on his chest. In that moment, Edward knew he would never be able to abandon Charlie.

**Thank you for all the reviews. I am so sorry for the lack of updates. I've been stuck in bed due to a horrid headache and back problems. I'm still hurting, but I wanted to try and get something out.**


	22. Chapter 22

—ACW—

Bella quickly stood up and walked into the kitchen. For a moment, Edward worried that he'd crossed a line by allowing the small boy to cuddle with him instead of her. The last thing he wanted was to cause her to feel unneeded by Charlie. Edward knew nothing about kids, after all.

However after a few minutes, Bella came back into the living room with a tray with two cups of coffee, one glass of chocolate milk, and three bowls, a box of Fruit Loops, and a half-gallon of milk.

"Do you drink coffee?" Bella asked, placing the tray on the table in front of the couch.

"I do," Edward admitted.

"Cream or sugar?" she asked.

Edward shook his head. "Black and hot."

"Me, too." She smiled as she began to pour the cereal into each bowl. "Hope you like sugary cereal. This is Charlie's favorite."

"It's mine, too," Edward said, laughing when Charlie slid off his lap and knelt in front of the table.

"Sit by me," the boy said, turning his eyes up to Edward's.

"Charlie, Edward can sit on the couch," Bella groused, but sighed as Edward scooted off the couch and sat next to Charlie. "You don't have to do that."

"I know," Edward told her. "But I want to."

Bella looked at him for several seconds, almost like she was trying to figure him out, but then she just smiled and shook her head and sat on the other side of Charlie. She turned on the TV, finding one those kids channels that played episode after episode of cartoons. While they ate their cereal, and drank their coffee and milk, Edward found himself becoming emotional. For the first time in his life, he felt like he had a family outside of his sister, and he liked it more than he wanted to admit, even to himself.

**Thank you for all the reviews**


	23. Chapter 23

—ACW—

Edward sighed and looked at his watch. Just after nine in the morning. He needed to go home, to check on Esme, and make sure she was okay. They were supposed to be at their parents' house for Christmas Brunch, which he wasn't planning on attending. Especially considering everything that had happened the night before. The one thing Edward knew for sure was that he wouldn't be able to allow Charlie to be anywhere near his parents.

"Bella," Charlie said, pulling Edward's attention out of his own twisted mind. "Momma's in heaven now."

Bella frowned. "She is, sweetie."

Charlie's lips trembled. "Do you think God gave her a big hug?"

Nodding, tears sprinkled down her face. "The biggest."

Charlie looked toward the big window on the opposite side of the living room. "We didn't even get a tree this year."

"I meant to," Bella murmured.

"I know." Though there was a sadness in his voice that had Edward wishing he could do something more for him.

Bella stood up and walked down the hallway, and into, what Edward assumed, was her bedroom. She came back a moment later with a box in her arms. She sat on the edge of the couch and looked down at him.

"This is for you, Charlie. From your mom."

Charlie stood up and sat next to her. He pulled the box onto his lap and began slowly peeling the paper back. Edward almost smiled. Most kids would be ripping the paper off, in a hurry to find out what gift they were getting. As he finished with the paper, he laid it next to him with great care, and pried off the lid, placing it with the paper. Starting with one panel, he peeled back the tissue paper. As he lifted out the large, leather book, his eyes were wide and full of tears.

"Open it," Bella urged, allowing her own tears to fall as she placed the now empty box onto the floor.

Charlie placed the book on his lap and opened it to the first blank page and looked up at Bella. "Read it for me."

"It says, 'My darling Charlie, I'm sorry I can't be with you this Christmas. My wish was for just one more year, one more chance to watch you grow and learn. But even though I can't be there for you, at least physically, I am there in spirit. I will always be there in spirit, baby. I love you, Mom'."

Edward brought his hand up to his mouth, trying to stop from sobbing like a baby as Charlie turned the page. Taped to the page was a picture of Rose holding Charlie on the day he was born. Unable to keep from crying, Charlie let the book fall from his lap and threw himself in Edward's arms, burying his face in the side of his neck. His tears seared his skin, and he wept.

**Thank you for all the reviews. Think we have about 6-7 chapters left.**


	24. Chapter 24

—ACW—

Charlie had cried himself to sleep in Edward's arms, but it wasn't until the sound of someone knocking on the apartment door echoed through the place, that Edward realized they were still sitting on the floor. He struggled to his feet and carried Charlie into his bedroom while Bella went to open the door.

Edward heard her greet her family, assuring them that Charlie was okay. That was a lie, of course. The boy wasn't okay, and he wouldn't be, not for a long time. His mother had died, had left him alone, and even though everyone around him loved him, Edward included, Charlie was still lost.

Edward closed the door behind him and turned to find himself facing Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Carlisle, and, oddly enough, Esme. Bella was standing with her arms wrapped around the photo album.

"What's he doing here?" Jasper snarled.

"He's here for Charlie," Bella quipped. "Be nice, Jay."

Jasper turned his glare onto his sister, but didn't say anything else.

"Is he okay?" Emmett asked, ignoring the spat between the two of them.

"No," Bella admitted, walking past him and placing the photo album on the shelf next to the television. "I wish I'd had time to get a tree. I think he would have liked having one, but time just got away from me."

"From all of us," Emmett murmured, turning away from everyone, but Edward noticed the way his shoulders shook, could hear the muffled sounds of his grief. He'd been in love with Rose, and he'd lost her. Edward, who'd never felt more than a physical attraction to a woman, wondered what love felt like. For reasons that he couldn't understand, he shifted his eyes to Bella.

**Thank you for the reviews.**


	25. Chapter 25

—ACW—

An odd silence filled the room as Emmett settled on the couch, Jasper and Alice busied themselves in the kitchen making coffee, and Carlisle and Esme stood awkwardly next to the front door. Edward felt so out of place, yet at the same time, he couldn't get himself to leave. What if Charlie woke up? What if he needed him? How could a boy he'd only met twenty-four hours ago have such hold on his heart?

It wasn't rational, yet Edward couldn't deny the bond he and the boy had. At the same time, he worried what his father would do if he found out about Charlie. Edward Masen Sr. made his feelings clear about the silly townspeople of Forks, Washington. The only reason he stayed was because they spent their money in his store.

"Have you called Mom?" Jasper asked, setting a tray of coffee on the table and looking up at Bella.

"I left her a message when we got him," she replied. "I doubt she'll care. Phil's team is playing in Spain, aren't they?"

"They're in Germany now, I think," Jasper said. "But you're right. I doubt she'll care. Just thought she should know her daughter . . ." He brought his hand up to his mouth, almost as if the words left a bad taste on his tongue. "I thought she'd win the fight."

Esme caught Edward's attention, and gestured for him to step out into the hallway with her. He took a quick look back at Charlie's door, listening to see if the boy was awake. Satisfied that he wasn't, Edward slipped past Bella and walked out into the hallway with Esme, who immediately thrust her cell phone into his hands. He looked down to see several text messages from their father, demanding to know where they were, why they weren't there, and threatening them if they didn't reply soon.

"I don't know what to tell him," she whispered, the fear in her voice clear. Edward pressed his lips together before shifting his eyes up to her cheek, where their father had struck her the night before.

"Me, either," he admitted. "I'm sorry I left you alone last night. I just . . ."

"You couldn't leave him," she said, and Edward nodded. "He needs you more than I do right now."

"So weird, isn't it?" Edward sighed and leaned against the wall next to the door. "Yesterday morning, my biggest worry was getting through Christmas with Mom and Dad, and now there's this little boy who needs me."

"And her," Esme murmured, causing Edward to look at her. "Bella needs you, too, Edward, doesn't she?"

"Does she?" he asked.

"I do." Gasping, Edward turned and looked at the door, where Bella and Charlie were standing.

**Thank you for all the reviews.**


	26. Chapter 26

—ACW—

"Sorry, he woke up and wanted you," Bella explained, her cheeks turning red.

Esme gave Edward a look before she slipped around Bella and went back into the apartment. Charlie walked over to Edward and wrapped his arms around his leg, leaning his head against his thigh. "I thought you'd left me."

"Sorry, I just needed to talk to my sister," Edward explained, placing his hand on the boy's back. "I thought you'd be asleep for a while."

The boy didn't say anything, just held onto Edward's leg like he was afraid that he'd disappear, which he probably was. Edward shifted his eyes back to Bella, who stood in the doorway watching them.

"You do?" he asked, not wanting to sound desperate. "Need me, I mean."

She nodded. "For Charlie, of course."

Edward should have known what she meant, but a small part of his heart ached at the thought of Bella not needing him for herself, too. "Of course," he murmured, clearing his throat.

"Charlie, can Edward and I have a minute alone, please?" Bella asked, looking down at the young boy.

His frightened eyes lifted to Edward's, and he could see the fear and sorrow in them, so he said, "I won't leave. I promise."

Charlie nodded but seemed to struggle to actually detach himself from Edward. He walked into the apartment and Bella closed the door, and took a deep breath.

"Look, I, um, I don't know how to handle this," she said, looking up at him.

"Handle what?" he asked. "Me?"

"You, you and Charlie, Rose's request that you and I raise Charlie together." Bella paused. "What did she think we'd do? Run off and get married?"

"Married?" Edward squawked.

"I'm not asking you to marry me," Bella groused. "My point is that you and I don't know each other. Not really. For all you know, I'm a bitch."

"You're not," he murmured.

"Yeah? How do know?" she asked.

Edward shrugged. "You look at Charlie like he's your son. You love him, you do what you can to protect him, to keep him from letting the pain make him bitter. A bitch doesn't do that. They don't look at their children and protect them. They don't care if they're hurt. All they see is themselves, their wants. Trust me when I say you're not a bitch."

"They really fucked you up, didn't they?" Bella mused. "Your parents. Guess not everything was perfect up at the ole Masen Mansion, was it?"

Far from it," he admitted. "I don't know what Rose wanted from us, Bella. I didn't know her, didn't remember her from school, did I? But she asked me to be there for her son, to be the kind of man he needs in his life. Why she thinks I can be that man is something I don't know, but I can't turn my back on him. Please don't ask me to."

"I'm not," she said, quietly, and taking a step toward him. She placed her hand on his chest, and Edward stifled the moan that rose in his throat. Her hand, through his shirt, felt soft and perfect. "Edward, I . . ."

But instead of finishing her thought, she leaned up on her toes, and kissed him.

**Thank you for all the reviews.**


	27. Chapter 27

—ACW—

Edward couldn't believe that Bella was kissing him. The moment her lips touched his, he felt a sense of peace wash over him, and suddenly, he wasn't worried about how he would face his father, or where his life would end up. Not as long as Bella was a part of his life, that was.

But before he could react, she pulled away and looked up at him. "Sorry, I don't . . . I don't know why I did that."

"It was nice," he said.

"Nice?" she laughed softly. "Never been told my kisses were just nice before."

Edward smiled. "Okay, so nice wasn't the right word."

"You liked it?" she asked, and he nodded. "Me, too. You know, Rose wasn't the only one to have a crush on you."

"Jasper, too, right?" he scoffed.

"Oh, my God, how did you know?" she gasped, and Edward felt his eyes fly open in shock, which just caused her to laugh harder. "Kidding. He didn't know you. Jasper was a bit of a juvenile delinquent, and spent most of his teenage years in a boy's school. He didn't come home much, and when he did, my dad kept him pretty busy. His death changed Jasper, made him a better man, I guess. He never forgave himself for not being a better son, but Dad loved him, Edward. Bad behavior and all. Well, Jasper changed his life around, and now, he speaks to kids all over the world, encouraging them to keep out of trouble."

"He hates me," Edward groused.

"He hates your father, the man he is. He doesn't know you well enough to hate you."

"Oh, that makes me feel better," he scoffed.

"When Charlie's father bailed, Jasper was furious. He kept going on about how real men don't abandon their kids, they don't leave them alone. I think Jasper feels like our father abandoned us. Dad did everything he could to keep Jasper safe, even when he was breaking into cars and robbing houses. He never gave up on Jasper, told him all the time that he had to make the choice to be a good man, and not a thug, but Jasper was angry. Mom was embarrassed by him, refused to see him, and Dad couldn't keep him out of trouble. Just before Dad was killed, Jasper had been for a visit, and they'd fought. Jasper said some horrible things to Dad, called him a loser, called him pathetic. Then he left to go back to school, and a week later, Dad had been shot and he was dead. Jasper never got to apologize, never got to tell Dad how much he loved him. It took a long time for him to stop blaming himself."

"And now he blames me," Edward said.

"He blames your name, not you." Bella paused. "I did, too, you know. I'd hear someone talking about the Masen's, and I'd feel this ball of fury inside of me. I hate your father for putting my father's life on the line because he couldn't keep his dick in his pants. I hate him for every hell we went through after we were forced to leave Forks. But Rose, Edward, she never hated you, or your name. I think that's why Charlie went to your store yesterday. Maybe he knew that you'd be a part of our lives."

"Am I?" he asked, the vulnerability in his words shocked even him. "Am I a part of your life?"

"I hope so."

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	28. Chapter 28

—ACW—

The next few days melted away in a blur of tears and grief. Once Edward and Bella reentered the apartment, Charlie had leapt from Jasper's arms and rushed to Edward, refusing to leave his side even for a second. Jasper didn't say anything, but the glare and hate said all he needed to. Yet, Edward couldn't find it in himself to return the ill feelings toward the man. It was clear to him that he cared about his family, and only wanted to protect Charlie and Bella from the curse of the Masen name.

While Edward did what he could to sooth away the ache in Charlie's heart, finding himself holding the boy for hours as he cried for his mother, Bella, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Carlisle, and even Esme, organized Rose's funeral. She'd already been planning for this day, Edward found out, and had bought an urn for her ashes to be placed, asked that there only be a small memorial service.

Their mother, Renee, called two days after Rose passed away and cried for hours on the phone, but when asked when she'd be arriving in Forks, the woman quickly sobered up and said she couldn't leave her husband. He needed her support. Jasper and Bella didn't seem surprised, yet Edward saw the anger in Alice and Emmett's eyes.

So four days after Christmas, Edward, Bella, and Charlie joined Jasper, Alice, Emmett, Carlisle, and Esme inside the small church that sat on the edge of Forks. Rose's urn had been placed on a wooden table, and hundreds of flowers filled the small sanctuary. The nurses from the hospital had sent several plants, Rose's dance troupe, friends who had heard the news, all sent an arrangement of plants and flowers. Charlie's classmates had drawn him a picture and signed their names, and Edward wondered if any of them truly understood how Charlie felt as he stood between Bella and Edward and said goodbye to his mother.

"Do you believe in God, Edward?" Charlie asked as they stood around the urn, causing everyone to look up at him.

"I do," he admitted. "Do you?"

Charlie shrugged. "Momma said He was real, that He was going to make sure I was okay after she went to heaven. But if God is real, why would he take her from me in the first place? Doesn't He know that I need her?"

Alice, Esme, and Bella were in tears as Edward knelt next to Charlie, placing his hands on the small boy's shoulders. "I don't know why God took your momma, Charlie. But I do know that she loved you. She loved you so much."

"I miss her," he cried, and once again, he flung himself into Edward's arms and wept.

But before Edward could sooth away another round of tears, the door to the back of the church opened, and he looked over, dread filling him as he saw his father standing in the doorway.

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	29. Chapter 29

—ACW—

Edward stood up, wrapping his arms around Charlie as he did, and faced the man whose cruelty had ruined so many families. How had he found them? He and Esme had been avoiding him for days, refusing to give into his demands and requests.

"What are you doing here?" Edward asked, his voice trembling. He didn't want that monster anywhere near Charlie, yet he couldn't seem to release his hold on the boy, either.

"Saw your car. What are you doing here, boy? You've missed work. Your mother's frantic, and you're here with . . ." Ed grimaced and spat on the floor. "Let's go."

"No," Edward said, and it was clear based on the look on his father's face that he hadn't expected to be refused.

"Excuse me?"

"I said no," Edward told him. "I'm not going anywhere with you, and neither is Esme." And looking over at his sister, he added, "Right?"

She nodded, clutched the top of Carlisle's arm, and whispered, "Right."

Ed laughed. "Oh, I see. You think you have a choice. You don't. Now, stop fucking around, and let's go. I'm already late for a meeting."

"No," Edward said again. "I'm not leaving, and I'm not coming back to work at the store. I'm done with you, Dad. I'm done with everything about you and Mom, and everything that comes with being a Masen."

"Yeah?" his father scoffed. "Your trust fund, your credit cards, ready to give all those up? Your apartment? I own that building, remember?"

"He has a place to live," Bella said, placing her hand on Edward's arm.

However, Ed threw his head back and laughed. "Got you a little whore, eh, boy? Can't say I blame you. She's got a nice ass."

Blind rage filled Edward and before he realized what he was doing, he had shoved Charlie into Bella's arms and stormed own the aisle, slamming his fist into his father's face. Over and over he hit his father, not caring that Charlie was screaming for him to stop, not caring that his knuckles were most likely broken.

"You're nothing!" Edward snarled, grabbing Ed by the front of his blood splattered shirt and tossing him out of the building. "You've ruined too many lives, and I'll be damned if I sit back and watch you do that to me and Esme."

"You'll pay for this, boy," Ed snapped, scrambling to his feet and attempting to wipe the blood off his face.

"I don't think I will," Edward said. "See, Dad, I know a lot about you. Secrets that you wouldn't want anyone else to know. Things that, if the press found out, would not only ruin your reputation, but would land you in jail for a very long time. Esme and I don't need you, your money, or anything else. Fuck off and go to hell."

Then grabbing the doors to the church, Edward slammed them shut and turned his attention back to the people who were gathered around the urn. The pastor, who'd been quietly standing by while they said their goodbyes, merely nodded his head toward Edward.

Charlie wiggled away from Bella and came running to Edward, leaping in his arms. "He was a bad man?"

Edward nodded. "Very bad."

"I'm glad you were here to protect us," Charlie whispered, laying his head on Edward's shoulder.

"Me, too." Edward carried him back to the others, who were watching him with bated breath. "I'm sorry. I—"

But before he could finish his apology, Jasper reached over and placed his hand on Edward's other shoulder. "Don't be sorry. Thanks for taking out the trash."


	30. Chapter 30

—ACW—

One Year Later

"You're late."

Edward laughed as he tossed his keys in the bowl next to the door and rushed into the living room, finding Bella and Charlie waiting for him with smirks on their faces. "I know, I know. I'm sorry. My meeting went long, but I have good news. Our loan was approved."

"Edward!" Bella cheered, rushing over to him and throwing her arms around him. "That's amazing!"

"Thanks. We're going to start seriously looking for a space next week," he said, taking about him and Esme. After Rose's funeral, neither Esme nor Edward returned to Masen's Department Store. Instead, Esme had gone back to school and was working on a degree in psychology. She and Carlisle had been together since the night they met in the hospital, and Edward knew that for the first time in his sister's life, she was truly happy.

Edward looked down at Charlie and smiled. He'd grown so much in the past year, both physically and emotionally. The death of his mother robbed him of years of childhood. Even Edward couldn't have stopped that from happening, but he'd tried to be the man Rose saw him to be. The kind of man who deserved a kid like Charlie.

"You ready, Charlie?" he asked.

The boy nodded, but didn't say anything.

Sliding his hand in with Bella's and placing his other hand on the top of Charlie's back, Edward lead them out of the apartment the three of them shared and out to his car.

Ten minutes later, Edward parked in the small parking lot next to Sunset Park. As the three of them climbed out, pulling their jackets tighter around their bodies, they made their way to where the others were waiting for them. Carlisle and Esme were clutching cups of hot chocolate, while Jasper had his arm around a pregnant Alice. They'd announced that they were expecting a baby back in July, and only just found out a week ago that they were having a girl, a girl they planned to name Rose.

The only person missing was Emmett. His grief over losing the love of his life had been too much for him to handle and two months after Rose passed, Emmett packed up his apartment and left Forks. For weeks, they searched for him, any sign that he was okay. Unfortunately, three months after he left town, they received word that Emmett had been killed in a car accident. A drunk driver had crossed the medium on a highway in Tennessee, and hit him head on. He died instantly. Thought once again they found themselves having to say good bye to a loved one, Edward knew that Emmett and Rose were together.

"Did you tell her?" Jasper asked, reaching out and shaking Edward's hand as he tilted his head toward Bella. It took Jasper a few months to be able to trust that Edward was nothing like his father, but eventually he gained the man's trust. Knowing how important Jasper's work with kids was, Edward had suggested that they should open a center for boys and girls to go after school, on weekends, during the summer. An activity center where they could lift weights, play basketball, racquetball, bowling, swimming, and so much more. Edward and Jasper knew that if the kids had a place to go, somewhere they felt safe, they were less likely to turn to crime. So, they got approval from the city, secured a loan, and now, all they needed was to find the perfect location.

Edward smiled. "I did. Couldn't stop myself."

Jasper laughed. "Yeah, me, either." Jasper leaned over and kissed his sister on the cheek. "You should have seen him with the bank manager. The man is smooth."

Edward rolled his eyes, while Bella said, "Tell me about it," and placed her left hand on Edward's chest. Two weeks prior, Edward had proposed to her, nearly begging her to be his wife. If you'd asked him a year ago if he'd be in love with a woman, raising another woman's child, and finally happy, he'd have called you a liar, but he was all of that. For the first time in his life, Edward had everything he wanted.

"Is it time?" Charlie asked, drawing Edward's attention down to him.

His wide brown eyes were filled with anticipation, yet there was sorrow in them, too. Edward nodded. "Almost."

Together, the seven of them edge their way around the crowd to a table operated by several older women. Just before Thanksgiving, Edward had heard about a group of women who called themselves "Matrons of Comfort." Every year, on Christmas Eve, they gather at various parks in the Forks area, and hold candlelight vigils for those who have lost loves ones over the previous year.

"Seven candles, please," Edward told one of the women, who immediately passed over even candles for each of them. While Bella was handing out the candles, Edward dug his wallet out of his back pocket and pulled out a fifty dollar bill, dropping it in the jar marked "donations."

"Thank you," the woman said. "How long has it been?"

Edward frowned. "A year. I didn't . . . I didn't realize how much it would still hurt after a year, but it does. Does it ever get easier?"

"No," the woman admitted. "You learn to cope, but the pain is always there." She pushed a small piece of paper toward him. "We're going to be putting these into balloons and releasing them at midnight. Would you like to write a little note to your departed loved one?"

Edward nodded and turned toward Charlie. "Hey, come here."

Stepping away from Bella, Charlie walked over to Edward, who knelt next to him and explained what the women were planning to do with the balloons. "What to send a message to your mom?"

Tears filled Charlie's eyes as he nodded and reached for a pen. "What should I say?"

"Whatever you want," he told him.

Edward watched as Charlie wrote, "Momma, I miss you. I miss your smile, your laugh, your eyes. Bella and Edward are taking good care of me. Edward promised never to leave me and so far, he hasn't. I wish you were here, though. What's Heaven like? Is it pretty? I love you, Momma. Love, Charlie."

But before the woman could take the paper and place it inside the balloon, Charlie grabbed it back and added, "P.S. My Christmas Wish is for a cure for cancer. So that no momma's have to leave their kids behind."

Edward could barely keep from openly sobbing as Charlie handed the woman his note and turned back to Bella, who immediately had her arms around him. Edward caught Bella's eyes. His Christmas wish had already come true. One moment, when a young boy asked him to wrap a glass ballerina figurine was all it took. In that moment, without even knowing it, he'd gained a son. With Bella, he'd gained a lover, someone who saw him as more than just a Masen.

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